• Deogarh (in Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh) was built
in the early sixth century CE. This makes it a classic
example of a late Gupta Period type of temple.
Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• This temple is in the panchayatana style of architecture
where the main shrine is built on a rectangular plinth
with four smaller subsidiary shrines at the four corners
(making it a total number of five shrines, hence the name,
panchayatana).
Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The tall and curvilinear shikhara also corroborates this date.
The presence of this curving latina or rekha-prasada type
of shikhara also makes it clear that this is an early example
of a classic nagara style of temple.
Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• The main architectural features of Odisha temples
are classified in three orders, i.e., rekhapida, pidhadeul and
khakra.
• Most of the main temple sites are located in ancient
Kalinga—modern Puri District, including Bhubaneswar or
ancient Tribhuvanesvara, Puri and Konark.
• The temples of Odisha constitute a distinct sub-style within
the nagara order. In general, here the shikhara, called deul in
Odisha, is vertical almost until the top when it suddenly curves
sharply inwards.
• Deuls are preceded, as usual, by mandapas called jagamohana
in Odisha.
• The ground plan of the main temple is almost always square,
which, in the upper reaches of its superstructure becomes circular
in the crowning mastaka. This makes the spire nearly cylindrical in
appearance in its length.
• Compartments and niches are generally square, the exterior
of the temples are lavishly carved, their interiors generally
quite bare.
• Odisha temples usually have boundary walls.

• Music, dance and painting had also developed under the patronage
of the Pallavas.
• The Mamandur inscription contains a note on the notation of vocal
music.
– The Kudumianmalai inscription referred to musical notes and
instruments.
– The Alwars and Nayanmars composed their hymns in various musical
notes.
• Dance and drama also developed during this period.
– The sculptures of this period depict many dancing postures.
• The Sittannavasal paintings belonged to this period.
• The commentary called Dakshinchitra was compiled during the reign
of Mahendravarman I, who had the title Chittirakkarapuli.

• The Chalukya temples may be divided into two stages.
The first stage is represented by the temples at Aihole and Badami.
• Among the seventy temples found at Aihole, four are important.
1. Ladh Khan temple is a low, flat-roofed structure consisting of a pillared hall.
2. Durga temple resembles a Buddha Chaitya.
3. Huchimalligudi temple.
4. The Jain temple at Meguti.
• Among the temples at Badami, the Muktheeswara temple and
the Melagutti Sivalaya are notable for their architectural beauty.
– A group of four rock-cut temples at Badami are marked by high workmanship. The walls and pillared halls are adorned by beautiful images of gods and human beings.

• The second stage is represented by the temples at Pattadakal. There are ten temples here, four in the northern style and the remaining six in the Dravidian style.
– The Papanatha temple is the most notable in the northern style.
– The Sangamesvara temple and the Virupaksha temple are famous for their Dravidian style.
– The Virupaksha temple is built on the model of the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. It was built by one of the queens of Vikramaditya II. Sculptors brought from Kanchi were employed in its construction.

• Sufism was a liberal reform movement within Islam. It had its
origin in Persia and spread into India in the eleventh century.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Sufism stressed the elements of love and devotion as effective
means of the realisation of God. Love of God meant love of humanity
and so the Sufis believed service to humanity was tantamount to
service to God.
Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• In Sufism, self discipline was considered an essential
condition to gain knowledge of God by sense of perception. While
orthodox Muslims emphasise external conduct, the Sufis lay stress
on inner purity. While the orthodox believe in blind observance of
rituals, the Sufis consider love and devotion as the only means of
attaining salvation.
• According to them one must have the guidance of a pir or guru,
without which spiritual development is impossible.
Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Sufism also inculcated a spirit of tolerance among its followers.
• Other ideas emphasised by Sufism are meditation, good actions,
repentance for sins, performance of prayers and pilgrimages, fasting,
charity and suppression of passions by ascetic practices.

• Nur Jahan built the tomb of Itimaddaulah at Agra.
It was constructed wholly of white marble with floral
designs made of semi-precious stones on the walls.
This type of decoration was called pietra dura.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• This method became more popular during the reign
of Shah Jahan.
Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The pietra dura method was used on a large scale in
the Taj Mahal by Shah Jahan.
Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Tikdam:
Just knowing that that pietra dura was not started during
the initial period of Mughal rulers would have helped
you eliminate statement 2 and arrive at the correct answer.

• India has the richest variety of types and styles of shadow puppets.
• Shadow puppets are flat figures. They are cut out of leather, which
has been treated to make it translucent.
• Shadow puppets are pressed against the screen with a strong source
of light behind it. The manipulation between the light and the screen
make silhouettes or colourful shadows, as the case may be, for the
viewers who sit in front of the screen.
• This tradition of shadow puppets survives in Orissa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu:
– Togalu Gombeyatta, Karnataka
– Tholu Bommalata, Andhra Pradesh
– Ravanachhaya, Orissa

• Bommalattam is a string puppet from Tamil Nadu.
• Putul Nautch is a rod puppet from West Bengal.

• Charvaka Philosophy is considered as materialistic/hedoist school of philosophy. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• It is also called Lokayata. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It believed that only those things which could be perceived
directly were thought to exist.
• They were of the view that heaven and hell are nothing but
inventions.
• All things are made of air, earth, fire and water. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Providing a good living for the priests is a sufficient explanation
for the practice of religion.

• Shraman was offshoot of Vedic religion.
• Medicancy and asceticism were some of its core practices.
Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• The Shraman tradition gave rise to Jainism, Buddhism, Yoga,
Ajivikas, Ajnanas and Charvakas; and was responsible for
concepts such as nirvana, samsara and moksha. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• It led to the development of yogic pratices. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• Madhavacharya is the proponent of Dvaita philosophy.
• It considers Brahman and Atman as two different entities,
and Bhakti as the route to eternal salvation.
• According to Dvaita, Jivatma are many and Paramatma is one.
• Considering the soul Madhavacharya says that no two souls
are alike. They each have different characteristics, different
states of happiness/sorrow.

• The Mauryan pillars were rock-cut i.e. monolithic.
Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• They were used to spread the message of Buddha
by Ashoka.
Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The top portion of the pillar is called capital and it typically
has animal figures like bull, elephant, etc.
– These capital figures are carved standing on a square or
circular abacus.
– The abcuses are on the base which could be a stylised
inverted lotus.
• The Lion Capital at Sarnath is the most famous example.

• The theme of Mara Vijaya has been painted in the caves of Ajanta.
Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The panel shows the image of the Buddha in the centre, surrounded
by Mara’s army.
• The event is part of enlightment and Mara represents desire.
Hence, statement 2 and 3 are correct.
• The Buddha is shown with his right hand indicating towards the earth
as a witness to his generosity.
• The image is shown contemplating how to disturb Siddhartha, the
name of Buddha before enlightment.

• Pithoro is a highly ritualistic painting done on the walls by
several tribes such as the Rathwas and Bhilalas who live in
the central Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• These paintings have significance in their lives and executing
the Pithora paintings in their homes brings peace, prosperity
and happiness.
Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It might be crude but it is this crudity that adds to the beauty
of this painting.
• Pithora paintings are more of a ritual than an art form. These
rituals are performd either to thank God or for a wish or a boon
to be granted.

• The sculpture is symbolic of Shiva as the lord of dance and
dramatic arts, with its style and proportions made according
to Hindu texts on arts.
• It typically shows Shiva dancing in one of the Natya Shastra
poses, holding Agni (fire) in his left back hand, the front hand
in gajahasta (elephant hand) or dandahasta (stick hand) mudra,
the front right hand with a wrapped snake that is in abhaya (fear
not) mudra while pointing to a Sutra text, and the back hand holding a musical instrument, usually a damaru.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• His body, fingers, ankles, neck, face, head, ear lobes and dress
are shown decorated with symbolic items, which vary with historic period and region.
• He is surrounded by a ring of flames, standing on a lotus pedestal, lifting his left leg (or in rare cases, the right leg) and balancing / trampling upon a demon shown as a dwarf (Apasmara or Muyalaka) who symbolizes ignorance.
Hence, statement 2 is correct and statement 3 is incorrect.
• The dynamism of the energetic dance is depicted with the whirling hair which spread out in thin strands as a fan behind his head.

Striking and unique features:
• Arches and Domes: used which is known as ‘arcuade’ style of
architecture replaced the traditional Trabeat style of architecture.
• Minars: are used around the mosques and the mausoleums.
• Mortar: used as a cementing agent in their constructions.
• Natural Figurines: were used. Human and Animal figures are avoided.
• Spaciousness, massiveness and breadth of buildings and structures.
• Calligraphy: used as a means of decoration as well as arabesque method which involved the use of geometrical ornamentation. Further, the decorations followed a symmetrical pattern.
• Jaali work: a feature allowing light into the structures.
• Water: pools in the premises of the building used for cooling, decorative and religious purposes.
• Charbagh style of gardening: in which a square block is divided into 4 adjacent identical gardens.
• Foreshortening technique: in the buildings, such that the inscriptions appear to be closer than it really is.
• Pietra Dura and Mosaic designs: using cut and fitted highly polished gems and stones.

Features of Indo-Gothic style:
• The constructions were extremely large and elaborate in their execution.
• The walls were thinner than in the Indo-Islamic constructions.
• The arches were pointed, unlike the curving arches of Indo-Islamic era.
Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
• One of the unique features of the Victorian style was the use of large windows.
• The churches had a crucified ground plan.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It adhered to advanced structural engineering standards of Britain. Steel, iron
and poured concrete started being used.
Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• Located in the Vijaynagar district of Karnataka, these mural paintings were executed on temple walls at Lepakshi.
• Done during the Vijaynagar period, they do not follow a religious theme, rather a secular one despite being a temple.
Hence, statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is correct.
• The paintings show a complete absence of primary colours, especially blue. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• In most of the Indian miniature paintings, the human figurine
is seen with the side profile.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• They usually have bulging eyes, pointed nose and slim waist.
Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• The colour of the divine beings like Lord Krishna is blue.
• The women figurines have long hair and the colour of their eyes
and hair are generally black.
Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
• Men generally wear traditional clothes and have a turban on
their head.

• The tenor of the Mughal paintings changed rapidly in the
period of Shah Jahan.
• Unlike his father and grandfather who like naturalistic
depictions, Shah Jahan liked to create artificial elements in
the paintings.
• It is said that he tried to reduce the liveliness of the paintings
and bring in unnatural stillness as he was inspired by the
European influence in his court.
• He has brought a change in the technique of drawing and
painting from the earlier period. He eschewed the use of charcoal
to draw and encouraged the artists to draw and sketch using a
pencil.

• A traditional painting of Odisha, the name Pattachitra comes from
a Sanskrit word “patta”, which means canvas/cloth and “chitra” means
picture.
Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The paintings show a mix of classical and folk elements, with a bias
towards the latter.
• No pencil or charcoal is used, rather brush is used to draw the outlines
in red or yellow after which the colours are filled.
Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Once the final lines are drawn, the painting is given a coating of
lacquer to give it a glossy finish.
Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• The themes of these paintings are insppired from Jagannath and
Vaishnava cult, sometimes from Shakti and Shiva cults.
Hence, statement 4 is correct.
• Pattachitra on palm leaf is known as talapattachitra.